Secret
by Rainbow-Writer 8
Summary: While Lightning,Fang, Snow and Sazh are out on a mission Vanille and Hope are left to cook the food. HopexVanille.


**AN- This is a one-shot I wrote for my favourite FF13 pairing. Hope you enjoy.**

**All characters belong to Square-Enix, I only own the story idea. **

* * *

"Snow, this is so fun!" Hope screamed as Shiva drove down the dirt path of Gran Pulse, Snow grinned as he sharply turned round the corner and back towards camp.

Today was training day with the eidolons, and they decided to level up.

Vanille was busy watching Snow and Hope ride Shiva to be working, Fang and Lightning were battling each other with Odin and Bahamut, and so far Fang was winning. And Sazh was off getting food for tonight, with Brynhildr.

"Snow, slow down!"

Shiva almost crashed into Vanille but Fang cast slowga on the bike so the red haired girl could run out the way.

"Watch it, Snow," Hope scolded him as he got off the bike and walked up to Vanille who had fell over a log when running away, she smiled up at him.

"You okay?" she nodded before she held her knee, a cut could be seen beginning to bleed, Hope easily cast cure onto the small wound. It began to close itself up and the red liquid disappeared, Vanille smiled before hugging Hope. "Thank you."

"No problem," he smiled before he heard a cheer, he looked up and saw Fang flying around Lightning before launching a laser beam to Odin, the horseman disappeared before Lightning dropped to the ground.

"Ha, looks like Fang won," Hope laughed before the three adults walked over to them before Sazh came running in with what looked like svarog meat.

"Got the food, for tonight!" Sazh said breathless, the rest of the gang chuckled before Snow took the meat from Sazh, setting it onto the small blanket.

"Well," Fang said stretching, "have we completed that c'ieth mission?"

They all exhaled, they all had completely forgotten about the mission. Lightning crossed her arms over her chest before groaning.

"Well we better get to it."

Snow shook his head, "Do we need too?"

The ex-solider rolled her eyes, "You're sounding like a kid!"

Hope and Vanille stifled a laugh before Snow and Lightning got into one of their usual rants. As usual Fang and Sazh had to break them apart as Hope and Vanille stood off innocently at the side.

The two began to think about the two living in the same house after Snow's and Serah's wedding, they both faced each other and instantly understood that they were thinking the same thing. The smiles on their faces quickly turned into grins at the thought of the trio, they're thoughts were broken when Fang's angry voice ranted.

"Listen!" the oerbian woman yelled before she exhaled slowly, "Somebody will need to cook the meat."

All eyes focused on Hope, he looked from one person to the other, he rubbed his arm nervously.

"M-Me?" he stuttered, they all nodded before Snow walked over, putting a hand on Hope's shoulder. Hope looked up at him.

"You're the best cook, but someone can stay with you," Snow looked around the rest of the group and his eyes fell on Vanille, "what about the second best cook."

Vanille smiled happily; on the other hand Hope burned a scarlet red. Snow knocked his knuckles together like he usually did, he walked away from the younger boy before the four adults set off to find the mark.

Fang looked back before a small smile tugged at her lips, "You two don't do _anything _irresponsible."

This time Vanille turned pink before Hope quickly turned away with embarrassment, Vanille clasped her hands behind her back, "Don't worry Fang!"

The black haired woman nodded before she ran to catch up with the others, the younger girl sighed before she tugged at Hope's arm.

"Let's go make that food, huh?"

Hope nodded before he was pulled off towards the Svarog meat.

* * *

Vanille watched as Hope sliced the meat carefully into squares with Vanille's hunting knife, once the meat was cut evenly he put it in the boiling water. Vanille smiled as Hope handed her the knife back. She slide it into her small pouch attached to her leather belt as Hope mixed the meat around with some herbs Sazh had found.

"So Hope…" Vanille played with her bracelets, "when did you start cooking?"

Hope looked up at the girl as he shuffled away from the cooking food, he sat on the ground and leaned against a wall as he thought, Vanille looked at him before she scooted over and sat in front of him.

"I was probably about 12 and mom was sick," he felt his vision blur as he thought about his mother, Vanille smiled sadly before nervously reaching out to hold his hand. Hope swallowed, not meeting her gaze as he continued.

"Dad was out working and I had to make all the dinners, but now dad is home and mom is…" Hope trailed off before he felt warm tears run down his face, Vanille automatically pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back soothingly.

"I know it's hard but that's the past, think about the future." She smiled before leaning back, hands still on his shoulders. Hope was sure he blushed as he wiped away his tears with a gloved hand.

"Thanks Vanille."

The girl hesitantly moved her hands around his neck before clasping them at the back, Hope inhaled before he let out a nervous laugh.

"I better get back to the food," he weakly said as he tried to escape her grip, "it…might…burn."

He looked into her eyes and green met teal, he quickly averted his gaze but she turned his face back to hers with her hand.

A low growl caused them both to jump back as a behemoth king stepped into the campsite, red eyes glowing, claws out, fangs dripping with saliva.

The duo jumped grabbing their weapons from the side, ready to strike; both were feeling the same emotion…fear.

* * *

Hope felt cure cast over him, he jumped away from the swipe of the behemoth claw, he felt his legs going numb. He truly wasn't ready to play sentinel, Vanille cast cure on Hope again. The behemoth took an unepected turn towards the jumpy red haired girl before it roared at the girl, inflicting poison on her.

"Vanille, heal yourself. Ill distract him!"

After Hope said that he quickly provoked the monster, its ears pricked up before it faced the young boy. Vanille cast cure and esuna on herself before her eyes went wide as the animal stood up on its hind legs, drawing its weapon from its back.

"Hope!"

Hope faced the girl, confusion written on his face. She tried to run over towards him but it was too late, Hope felt all the air leave his lungs as he hit the wall with a loud bang. He let out a painful groan as he attempted to stand up, his attempt failed as he almost immediately fell back down.

He saw the behemoth come towards him through his blurry eyes, he heard Vanille shout to the monster, telling it to come over.

The behemoth growled before Vanille ran her hand over her brand, and Hecatoncheir was summoned onto the field.

"Cure!" Hope felt his haziness fade away as he slowly got up, Vanille seemed to catch him as he tripped forward. "Are you okay?"

Hope nodded before he began to cast fire spells at the monster, Vanille was busy buffing the party and Hecatoncheir was attacking the monster. The monster staggered back, Vanille ran a hand over her brand again.

"We fight better together!"

Hope watched as Vanille's eidolon began to transform before she jumped on the back of the summon.

"Hope, keep it staggered!" Vanille shouted over to him, the young boy nodded before he cast blizzard and thundagra on the behemoth.

It stumbled back as Vanille and Hecatoncheir kept pushing it back with the gun that Hecatoncheir had.

"Vanille! Finish it off!" Hope yelled over to the girl, she nodded before she twisted a knob on Hecatoncheir.

Hope ran behind a large bolder as the battlefield lit up and finished the monster off, Vanille jumped off the summon before waving goodbye.

Hope cautiously walked out from behind the large rock to be embraced by the red haired oerbian, he nervously wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her back.

"We did it!"

Hope nodded happily before they ran over to the behemoth, a pool of red and black blood surrounded the dead monster.

"We need to tell Fang and the others!" Vanille said excitedly as she walked over to the beast, poking its side. Hope jumped back, waiting for it to jump up and swipe at the girl.

Vanille faced the boy and saw his fear and skipped over to him before dragging him over towards the behemoth. She gently guided his hand over to the side of the monster before she placed it on the fur, he flinched waiting for it to strike.

"See, it won't hurt you," Vanille smiled, "because it's dead."

Hope smiled before he pressed his hand into the side and felt the meat underneath the fur, he thought for a moment.

"Hope?"

The silver haired boy looked up at the girl before he spoke up, "We could cook this meat. You know since the Svarog meat is destroyed."

Vanille smiled and nodded before she slide the boy's hand off the dead carnivore, with the hand that wasn't attached to Hope's she got out her knife.

"Well, I'll skin it while you can fetch the water from the small pond!"

Hope nodded before he looked at their joined hands; he blushed before he squeezed her hand causing her to let out a yelp of surprise.

Hope chuckled before he released her hand and walking over to the ruined lunch, picking up the bucket before walking over to the small pond next to the camp.

Vanille watched as the teenager walked over to the pond before scooping up some water and walking back to the small fire; sitting beside it.

Hope got a few sticks from the side before building a small tower like thing, putting it over the fire. He looked around the camp looking for something to tie the sticks together with; he looked over at Vanille who was skinning the behemoth.

"Vanille, have you got any string or something?" he asked, Vanille looked up before she took off her necklace; chucking it towards Hope who quickly caught it.

"Are you sure?" Hope asked his question filled with uncertainty. Vanille let out a faint laugh before nodding, Hope smiled gratefully before wrapping it round the small tower that the pot of water rested on top of.

* * *

"Done!" the red head chirped as she cut off the last bit of fur.

"Great! If you just want to cut…whoa!" Hope covered his eyes at the sight of the skinned behemoth; Vanille looked confused as she sat behind the dirty brown behemoth.

"Hope, it's only a behemoth," she said with a motherly tone. Hope slowly removed his hands slowly before he dropped them to his side as Vanille began to cut the leg up, the rest of the body followed the same fate.

After the meat was cut and Hope was feeling sick in the stomach, Vanille put roughly a quarter in the small pot. Hope was busy carving stakes to put the meat on that he didn't notice that the red haired girl had crept up behind him and kneeled down, draping her arms around his shoulders.

"How you doing?" she asked innocently, Hope jumped almost falling back but Vanille kept him on balance.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Vanille apologized before she sat beside him, her hands behind her.

"It's okay," Hope said as he carved the last steak before setting it to the side, Vanille smiled before Hope followed her actions and put his hands behind his back.

"Vanille, how did you meet Fang?"

Vanille looked at him shocked at the question but also a little happy that Hope wanted to know more about her.

"Well…" Vanille told Hope about Oerba and how they met and felt like sisters, she even told him about that she and Fang had already been l'cie and turned into crystal.

Hope listened to every word she said and took it straight to the heart, Vanille continued and told him her full name.

"Oerba Dia Vanille, nice name." Hope complimented, Vanille smiled to Hope with her eyes shining.

"You know. You have a beautiful smile." Hope admitted, as soon as he said that Vanille's face went pink before Hope's face soon followed.

"Thank you, Hope."

Their eyes met before Vanille took the lead and began to lean in towards the boy, Hope swallowed nervously as he too began to lean in. They were inches apart when Vanille shakily closed the gap and softly kissed him. After a few seconds the voice of Snow's happy voice and Fang accent could be heard coming down the path.

The pair quickly pulled back, faces the colour of tomatoes and smiles like the Cheshire cat's.

"That was…" Hope started, Vanille finished for him, "…amazing."

"Hey!" Fang's voice bellowed as she appeared at the bottom of the dirt path first, she raised an eyebrow at their closeness. Vanille gave her the puppy dog look, pleading her not to say anything. Fang smiled before nodding as the couple stood up; picking up the stakes and running over to put the meat on them.

"Something smells great!" Snow shouted before he gawked at the sight of the skinned behemoth, "No way!"

Hope and Vanille smiled at each other before the red haired girl handed him a stake with behemoth meat, "Behemoth kebab?"

* * *

"Mm-mm, this is really good," Sazh commented as he bit into the meat again, the two kids said their thanks as they also bit into the brown meat.

"Well done on killing it too!" Lightning complimented, Hope and Vanille gleamed before Fang looked over at the pair with a small smile.

"I still can't believe you beat that thing!" Snow laughed as he bit a large chunk off the stake.

"I know. Teamwork goes a long way!" Sazh said before he patted his stomach and stood up, "I think I'm going to hit the sack."

The others followed in suit as they lay down on the blankets; Hope and Vanille were the last ones standing.

They smiled at each other before joining their hands together and walking over to the last two blankets.

Their secret was safe.

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Fin~

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**AN- Thanks for reading, I will update soon on my Oerba Memories story but at the moment I have written very little.**

**Please Read and Review :)**


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